Package



-July 19, 1938. W E, WEEKS 2,124,324

` PACKAGE Filed Nov. 28, 1956 Patented July 19, 1938 UNITED STATESPATENT GFFI'CE PACKAGE Walter E. Weeks, Baltimore, Md.

Application November 28, 1936, Serial No. 113,114

8 Claims. (Cl. 20S-46) The invention relates" to a package for looseparticles of food as nut kernels or meats, candies or small cakes andthe like, in and by means of which the food particles are attractivelydisplayed and at the same time are protected from deterioration by theaction of air, moisture and other harmful agencies and protected fromcrushing and breakage. While the package is primarily a food package, itmay be used for other small articles.

The package comprises a bag or other sealed Wrapper preferably a tubularsection of transparent sheet material which is Water resistant and maybe to a large degree water proof. This 15 material is to the bestadvantage capable of sealing by heat though materialsotherwise sealedmay be employed. While moisture resistant material is preferred, othertransparent materials may be used.

The material which has been used for this purpose inthe practice ofapplicants invention is cellulose hydrate in the form of sheets whichare flexible, transparent, non-absorbent and highly resistant to theaction of water and also selfadhesive under the action of heat so thatit is easily sealed by heating without the use of a separate adhesive.

The bags may be filled and sealed in accordance with the methoddescribed in United States 30 Patent #1,986,422 or in any suitablemanner, the bag or inner package being preferably at or capable offlattening. In accordance with the method of the patent, a strip ofSheet cellulose derivative of the kind described or any suitable kind ofmaterial is bent laterally into tubular form about a feed tube whichfeeds the food particles into the transparent wrapping tubeas it isformed. For convenience, this wrapper material may be referred to asCellophane, it being understood however that this word Cellophane is atrade-mark applied to the product of one manufacture and that othersheet materials of this character may be used for this purpose. The tubeis sealed longitudinally and is also sealed transversely and cut at thecenter of each transverse seal so as to form a series of closed lledbags, each having flattened portions at its ends where the front andback of the bags are joined by sealing.

In accordance with the present invention these bags which whenunprotected or unsupported are subject to breakage by bulging with-theconsequent spilling of the contents, and are also lacking in protectionfor the food product which is apt to becrushed and broken in handlingare well protected. Also these bags in the unsupported form areshapeless and not adapted for quick and easy handling or for packinguniformly in quantities.A

In accordance with the present invention, these filled bags or packagesare given a uniform shape and supported and protected from bulging bymeans of a paper or other relatively stiff opaque envelope or backingwhich is quickly applied and inexpensive and which exposes the foodproduct in an attractive manner for exhibition an-d examination.

This wrapper is easily and cheaply applied and of attractive appearanceand provides conveniently for the display of advertising matter inconnection with the product, and the package as completed has thefurther important advantage that the food product does not come incontact With-the paper backing at any point so that there is noabsorption of grease by the paper with the dlspleasing appearance ofgreasiness and discoloration and no loss of the food constituents by theabsorbent properties and porosity of the paper which are unavoidableincidents to other paper wrapping or backings. In the accompanyingdrawing,'I have illustrated a package embodying the features of theinvention in the preferred form. In the drawing:

Figure 1 isl a plan view of the paper blank which forms the backing oroutside Wrapper, the same being flattened for purposes of illustration.

Figure 2 is a plan View of the bag or inside wrapper of transparentsheet material containing the food product ready for the backing.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view of the backing partially folded, i. e.having one side ap folded, the unfolded iiap being also shown in brokenlines in the flat position.

Figure 4 is a .top plan view of the completed package.

Figure 5 is a side elevation of the same, looking at the long side ofthe package.

.Referring to the drawing by'munerals, each of which is used to indicatethe same or similar parts in the different figures, the bag or Wrapper Ain which the food product is initially enclosed, indicated by referencecharacter I has in practice been composed of cellulose hydrate which isself-adhesive when heated and therefore capable of sealing by heatwithout any additional adhesive, other cellulose derivative as celluloseacetate may be substituted being sealed by means of an adhesive or asolvent.. 'I'hese materials are highly resistive to Water andnon-absorbent, other transparent sheet materials which have joined andsealed at 3.

pose. The inner package indicated by reference character I is sealed atthe ends where it is flattened, the two layers of the transparent sheetadhering at I". The longitudinal edges are also The details and mannerof joining, closing and sealing the inner wrapper and package may bewidely varied. 'I'he bag or inner wrapper I, while it protects the foodfrom' deterioration by moisture and the action of air and otheragencies, is soft and the package I' lis shapeless being subject tobreakage by bulging and it does not protect thefood product fromcrushing.

,This bag or= envelope is protected and supported and still retains itsfacility for displaying the product when partially enclosed within atoughl paper or other backing in accordance with the invention. Thisbacking is shown flattened y or spread out in Figure 1, being indicatedby reference character 2. The backing as shown is elongated or oblong,the package being likewise of oblong form and is creased at each side at5 in parallel with the outside edges 6. It is also creased transverselyat the ends at I in parallel with the end edges 8, the creases 'I beingpreferably spaced inwardly from the end edges 8 by a distanceconsiderably greater than the distance of the creases 5 from the edges6, the creases 5 and 'I cross near the corners at 9 and to contribute tothe neatness of the ypackage and to decrease spondence with thedimensions of the inner package I" or bag I as filled but slightlygreater to facilitate the closing of the flaps of the backing and thefastening of the bag I within the backing 2. The outline of the bag isshown in dotted lines in Figure 4, the edges of the bag being indicatedby reference character 4. l

In the practice of the invention to date while the bags are formed andfilled by means of an automatic machine, the nal wrapping operation, i.e. the enclosing of the bag in the backing 2, has been performed byhand. In this operation the blanks being provided cut and scored asshown in Figure 1 and properly printed with the advertising matterdesired, are spread iiat on the work table as shown in Figure 1. Acorresponding inner package or lled bag I is then placed on the flatblank, the edges 4 of the bag beingrelated to the scores"5, 1substantially as indicated in dotted lines in Figure 4.` The side flapsI I are then folded inwardly over the edges 4- of the inner packageabout the scores 5 and the end aps I5, I 5 are then folded inwardly overthe ends of the bag and over the ends of folded flaps I4, after whichthe package is stapled at I2 at each corner, the staples preferablypassing each of them rst through the flaps I5 near the corners I6 andthen through the flaps I4, then through the corresponding corners of thebag, i. e. through the ends of sealed flat portions I and nally throughthe main body I'I of the backing so that the backing 2 is not onlysecured about the back of the inner package and over the edges of thepackage but the bag is definitely fastened 2,124,824 the desiredproperties may be used for this purat its corners or at other convenientpoint within the backing.

It is of interest as to the ilnished package that the package isstiifened and the product thereby protected,- also the package is givena ilat rear or 5 bottom surface being thus rendered of uniform shape forconvenience in packing in quantities.

, The product is most attractively displayed at the front where the bagor inner wrapper I and its contents bulge forwardly as shown at I8 andfully protected from contact with the paper and consequentdiscolorationof the paper and deterioration of the product from this source and fromexposure to air, moisture, germs and dirt. The method of wrappingdescribed also has the advantage of 1.,

simplicity, cheapness and speed being also adapted for performance byautomatic machinery if desired. Itis of further advantage that themethod of wrapping provides for advertising display on the back of thepackage on the outside, on the body of the backing on the inside behindthe product, and above and below the product and alsoon the front as tothe flaps or edges of the wrapper.

I have Ythus. described specifically and in detail a package embodyingthe features of my invention in order that the manner of constructing,applying, operating and using the invention may be fully understood.However, the specific terms herein are used in a descriptive rather thanin a limiting sense, the scope of the invention being defined intheclaims.'

What I claim as new and desire to secure by 'Letters Patentis: 1

1 A package containing particles, and com- 3 prising a transparentflexible relatively non-absorbent wrapper therefor completely enclosingthe particles and having thin substantially flat -edge portions and inaddition thereto a relativelyA stiff backing of sheet material covering4 the back side of said package on the outside and also covering. saidilat edge portions on both the. front and back sides of said at edgeportions, which are substantially in the plane of said back, saidtransparent sheet and said contained par- 4 ticles covered thereby beingexposed at the front between said edge portions.

2.,A package containing small particles, and comprising a transparentflexible inner wrapper therefor completely enclosing the small particles5 and having relatively thin iiat edge portions and a relatively stiifbacking of opaque sheet material covering the back side of said packageon `the outside and also covering said edge portions on both the backand front sides of each said edge 5 portion said thin flat edge portionsbeing substantially in the plane of said back, said transparent sheetand said particles being exposed at the front between said edgeportions, and means securing said thin edge portions to the backing.

3. A package containing food particles, and comprising a transparentflexible relatively nonabsorbent inner wrapper therefor completelyenclosing the food particles and having relatively back sidesoffsaidedge portions, said transparent 70 sheet and said food particlesbeing exposed at the front between said edge portion, .and means lpassed through said backing and through said transparent 'sheet securingthe latter to the backing.

4. A package containing food or other particles, and comprising atransparent flexible wrapper therefor enclosing the small particles andhaving relatively thin edge portions and in addition to said wrapperrelatively stili` backing of opaque sheet material covering the backside of said package on the outside and flaps folded' over and coveringsaid edge portions oppositely to said back side, said edge portionsbeing covered on both the front and back sides and being substantiallyin the plane of said back, said transparent sheet and said particlesbeing exposed at the front and bulging forwardly `between said aps. andmeans passed through said naps and through said backing and throughsaidwrapper securing the latter to the backing, and securing the flapsvof said backing, covering said edges in closed tion of the front ofsaid tube exposed, the extreme outer portions of the folded ends beingsubstantially flat in a single plane. u

6.A package. comprising a .container tube of transparent material andparticles enclosed therein, the tube being closed at the ends which arethus flattened lying substantially in a single plane and a substantiallyflat protecting backing i of opaque relatively stiff sheet materialcovering the back of said tubular portion on the outside of said tubeand having flaps folded lover said closed ends the end ,portions of thetube being covered on both the front and back sides by said backing,said end folds having a single crease, and the backing adjacent thecrease being flattened substantially in the plane of the back andfastening means passed through said flaps and back and through saidclosed ends of the transparent sheet tube.

7. Apackage containing a quantity of food or similar particles, thepackage comprising a transparent sheet of flexible material completelyenclosing the particles, and having front and rear walls flattenedsubstantially into a single plane at the ends which are thus closed, andin addition to said sheet. a relatively stiff backing for said packagesecured externally of said sheet, the backing having portions connectedthereto covering and secured to the end edges of said package outsidethe transparent material and oppositely to said backing, said connectedportions at each edge of the package thus covered having a single creaseabout which said connected portion is folded, forming with the adjacentportion of the back an acute V-fold, the transparent sheet and theparticles covered thereby being exposed oppositely to Said backing.

8. Apackage containing particles, and comprisixig a transparent flexiblewrapper completely enclosing the particles and having substantially flatedge portions and in addition thereto a relatively stiil.' at backing ofsheet material 'covering the back side of said package on the outside ofsaid wrapper and also covering said flat edge portions on botl' thefront and back sides the said covered nat edge portions beingsubstantially in the plane of said backing, .said transparent sheet andsaid food particles covered thereby being exposed at the front betweensaid edge portions.

, WALTER E. WEEKS.

